Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visas have been issued where the NHS is the sponsoring employer since July 2024; and how many of those employees continue to work for the NHS.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
The Home Office publishes data on sponsored work visas by occupation in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on grants of visas are published in table ‘Occ_D02’ of the sponsored work visas by occupation and industry dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. Data is from January 2021 up to the end of June 2025.
Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on reducing funding for Level 7 apprenticeships.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity.
From January 2026, the government will no longer fund level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level, except for young apprentices under the age of 22. This will enable apprenticeship opportunities to be rebalanced towards young people, whose rate of apprenticeship starts has fallen by almost 40% over the last decade.
This decision was informed by a wide range of evidence, including analysis by Skills England of official apprenticeship statistics and engagement with relevant stakeholders, including other government departments such as the Department of Health and Social Care.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will publish a list of (a) new settlements and (b) urban extensions planned to contain more than 5,000 homes which have been commenced since 2000; and if her Department will indicate whether a GP surgery has been delivered within the development area.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 63763 on Technical Excellence Colleges: Apprentices, if she will provide funding for Level 7 apprenticeships undertaken by people over 22 at Technical Excellence Colleges.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
I refer the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57098.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help improve adult literacy.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the importance of adult literacy skills. That is why the department supports participation in English through our ‘essential skills’ entitlements funded through the adult skills fund (ASF). This provides the opportunity for fully funded study up to and including level 2 for eligible adults aged 19+ who do not have essential literacy skills.
Furthermore, the department supports adults aged 19+ in England who speak English as a second or additional language to access English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) provision, funded through the ASF, subject to the eligibility requirements laid out in the ASF and local rules on the provision of adult education.
As part of the ASF, Tailored Learning funding can also be used to support learners to improve their essential skills if they are not ready to study for a qualification or would benefit from learning in a more informal way.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many inspections of Home Office approved visa-sponsoring employers have been made since July 2024.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will review the employment history of applicants for Indefinite Leave to Remain who have been in the UK on a (a) social care visa, (b) health visa and (c) other work-related visas to ensure compliance with the visa terms.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The process for considering applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain applications from Skilled Worker visa holders is set out in caseworker guidance which is available on gov.uk: Skilled Worker visa: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK.